Never Letting Go
by mysterywriter012
Summary: The daughter of Ben Randall attends the United States Coast Guard Academy after hearing of her fathers death. No one knew she even existed. Chief Jack Skinner has taken over the base, the two of them make sure to give each other hell. The Guardian Fanfic
1. Chapter 1

She didn't expect to get the news like she did. In fact, she didn't expect to hear the news at all. She didn't even know much about him or who he really was. All she knew was that his name was Ben Randall, and the love of his life was the United States Coast Guard Academy. She knew he was a Senior Chief, and she assumed it was a pretty high ranking.

Her mother never let them see each other. Her mother and Ben Randall were college loves. Then one day he went into the Coast Guard, and their relationship ended due to the distance. He had married a new woman by the name of Helen Rad.

Her mother always had her under the impression that he was a womanizer, and was manipulative.

But once she got wind of her father's day on the morning news while she jogged past the video store, she ran home and questioned her mother. Her mother had lied to her in so many ways. Ben was a kind and gentle soul, and her mother confessed that it was her that broke his heart by having an affair, and chased him away.

Then he had joined the coast guard. Her mother told her that the only reason she would never let her see him was for fear of her never wanting to come back. Her mother had every right to fear this.

As she sat in the backseat of the Taxi, listening to the driver mutter something about how they play 'too much damn beyonce' on the radio, she saw the United States Coast Guard base come into view.

She had decided to join the Coast Guard, mostly to learn more about her father. She had discovered he had last spend the most of his time here, teaching at 'A' school. Apparently, he was one hell of a tough teacher.

She smiled at this. Maybe that was where she got her stubbornness from.

Joining the Coast Guard didn't matter to her anyway. She was a 27-year old Communicatios Major. She hadn't really landed the perfect job anyway.

When she decided to go into the Coast Guard, she wanted to change who she was. She couldn't change her name, no…but she never really was the perfect role model daughter. She usually hung out with her friends and often kicked back a few drinks. She had also looked like her mother. An odd combination of a tan complexion, red hair, and brown eyes.

Since her mother's recent deception, she wanted to change herself. She dyed her hair blonde, the color her mother had despised the most.

As she stepped out of the taxi, she looked around. After tipping the driver, she walked inside the large building infront of her.

She spotted two men standing near an information desk. One of the men had dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a slight tan. He was standing next to a man with blonde hair and gray eyes.

They turned to look at her as they heard her approach, and they showed her a small smile.

"Hello, Jake Fischer. This is Billy Hodge. Anything we can help you with today?" Jake asked.

She adjusted her bag on her shoulder, uncomfortably.

"I'm here to enroll, actually…" she stated.

"Oh! Well, we can take you to the Captain's Office. Captain Larson…." Jake said, motioning for her to follow him.

"Yes…I believe that's who I was told to see. Apparently he's….well he was a friend of my fathers," she replied.

"Yea, he's a pretty friendly guy. He's the one who gave us our diploma's…" Jake said, turning to face her. She smiled slightly. "What's your name, anyway?" Jake inquired.

She looked at him. "July," she said.

"Oh…that's an…interesting name…" Billy commented. Jake shot Billy a look, and Billy turned away.

"Most people call me Jul. At least that sounds normal, you know? My mom had this really weird obsession with the month…" July replied.

"Oh, that's cool…" Jake stated. He knocked on the Captain's door, waited for the 'come in', before pushing it open. He motioned for her to walk in first, and he and Hodge followed.

Jake and Hodge saluted the Captain, who was sitting behind his desk. July noticed he had a fatherly look on his face. Soft blue eyes and gray-like hair.

He nodded for them to be at ease, and they did so.

"Hello, young lady. How may I be of assistance?" Captain Larson asked, with a friendly smile.

"Yes sir, I'm here to enlist…" July replied.

Captain Larson stood up, and extended his hand to her. "Welcome to the Coast Guard Academy. It's great to have you Miss…" he paused, unsure of her name.

"Um…July, sir. July Randall…." July replied.

The Captain's face changed slightly. It was a look of pure bone-chilling shock. She heard either Jake or Hodge let out a small squeak behind her, but she didn't turn around to see who it was.

Captain Larson continued to hold her hand, as he stared at her.

"Randall? As in…relation to…Ben Randall?" he asked, shaking slightly.

"I'm his daughter," July stated.

"I…I didn't even know he had a daughter," Captain Larson said, with a nervous smile.

"He didn't either. For twenty seven years…I was kept from him by my mother…" July responded.

Captain Larson finally let go of her hand, and turned to look at Jake and Hodge. They too both had equally surprised looks on their faces. July got the gist that this was going to be the reaction of just about everyone for about a week or so.

"Fisher…Hodge…I want you to round up all the officers. Especially Chief Skinner… I think we have someone they would really like to meet…" Captain Larson said, his eyes not leaving July's.

July smiled nervously, wondering if her decision was a mistake.


	2. Chapter 2

July sat in the chair, looking down at her hands. She could feel Captain Larson's continual hard stare on her. If she hadn't noticed the wedding ring on his finger, and the picture of him with his family behind him, she would have really been creeped out.

"So…Ben…never knew you existed?" Captain Larson questioned.

July looked up at him, her gaze meeting his. "No, he didn't. Not that I know of anyway…I mean, my mother may have told him but…I think he only did it to protect me. I don't know what he would want to protect me from but….from what I've learned about my dad…he is a very protective guy," July replied.

There was a knock on the door, and Captain Larson looked behind July. "Come in…" he said. The door opened and Jake stood there with Hodge. Behind the two of them emerged several other officers.

They filed in the room, all giving July friendly smiles. July returned them, before looking back at Captain Larson. "Chief Flight, where is Chief Skinner?" Captain Larson asked.

"He is on his way, sir. That Brian Santor was giving him smack talk…" Chief Flight replied. Captain Larson rolled his eyes. "Not again….hasn't he learned that Skinner has a no tolerance rule?" Captain Larson questioned.

There was the sound of another set of footsteps approaching, and Jake and Hodge parted at the doorway. A man with piercing blue eyes and dark gray hair with some traces of blonde in it.

He nodded in acknowledgement at Captain Larson. "Captain, sir….they said you wanted to see me?" he asked.

His eyes looked over at July, before quickly looking away. July took this to be Chief Skinner, mostly because of his name plate. Another part of it was because as soon as he walked in the room, Jake shut the door.

It was as if he was the one they were all waiting for, and they basically were.

"Yes, Chief Skinner. There is someone I'd like you to meet…" Captain Larson said, standing up. He looked at July, and she stood up as well. "Men, I'd like you all to meet….July Randall…." Captain Larson stated.

All of the officers looked surprised, except for Chief Skinner. Instead of gaping slightly like the rest of the officers, he merely just continued to stare at her, his eyes not leaving hers.

"Ben had a daughter?" Chief Flight muttered, to Petty Officer Watson.

Chief Skinner stepped forward, and extended his hand to her. "Chief Jack Skinner…" he said, his eyes continuing to look into hers.

She nervously extended her hand to him, before shaking it. Something was just so intimidating about the way his eyes looked into hers. He had hardly even said anything to her and yet she couldn't help but feel frightened.

Chief Skinner let go of her hand, and turned to look at Captain Larson.

"Gentlemen, Ms. Randall would like to enroll with us….I trust you will treat her with respect…and be sure to make sure that the others do so as well," Captain Larson stated.

There was a murmur of agreement from several of the officers.

Captain Larson turned to Chief Skinner. "Chief, why don't you take Ms. Randall to your office. She where you think she would fit in best here…get her some ODU's…" Captain Larson said, with a small smile.

Chief Skinner nodded, before motioning July to follow him. "Come on, let's go…" he said.

July followed him down the hallway. Every step Chief Skinner seemed to take was as if it were with power. She could hardly figure out what words to say to him, or what would be a good conversation starter.

He opened the door to one of the rooms, and motioned for her to walk inside. She did so, before taking a seat infront of his desk.

She looked around the room, seeing different metals and certificates. "You seem to get second place a lot," she said. Chief Skinner shut the door, standing directly behind her.

"Yea, your father seemed to always get the gold…" he replied, before walking around to his desk. He took a seat, and opened up the file that she had brought.

He pulled out some of the papers, and began to read them. July sat there, watching him. She was usually very good at reading faces, but Chief Skinner's seemed to be impossible.

"Says here you were arrested three times…." Chief Skinner said, his eyes looking over at her. He rested back in his chair. "Care to explain?" he asked.

"Is it really necessary?" she questioned.

He raised his eyebrows, in slight surprise. "Of course it matters. You are about to be enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. You're going to be doing service to your country. I think I need to know if you will be a shame…or a plus," Chief Skinner replied.

She sighed. "It was only for stupid stuff. Two for underage drinking…and…another for a personal matter…" she said, looking down.

"Ms. Randall, there are no personal matters in the Coast Guard. Everything runs via the way we choose to run it…" Chief Skinner snapped.

"Well, I'm sorry. But I'm not comfortable discussing personal matters with people. Particularly, with people that I've just met. Whether you outrank me or not…." July said, with somewhat annoyance.

Chief Skinner raised his eyebrows at her, before leaning forward slightly on his desk.

"Ms. Randall, I think there is something you should be aware of while you are at this base. I'm the commanding officer here now. You will be under my training…and I feel like you don't have what it takes to be in this academy…I will not allow you to graduate," Chief Skinner said, with slight disdain.

"Oh, how long have you been lead instructor here?" July asked.

"Five years," Chief Skinner replied. "Right…and last year my father came here and took your job. Gee, I can't help but wonder if they would let you back if my father were still alive…." July said. She bit her lip, and looked down.

She couldn't make such comments to the instructor that was going to be deciding whether she would graduate or not. She knew she would get hell for that.

Chief Skinner stood up, with a small smile.

"Give me fifty, Randall…" he said.

July blinked up at him in shock. "What?" she asked.

"Get down on the floor, and give me fifty…" Chief Skinner repeated.

July scoffed, before standing up and placing herself on the floor in push-up position.

"I'll count for you…" Chief Skinner said, with a smirk of slight pleasure.

She rolled her eyes, mostly to herself.

"Down…" Chief Skinner said. She lowered herself the ground, and was there for a good five seconds. "Up," Chief Skinner said.

She pushed herself up, groaning slightly. "That's one…we've got forty nine more…" Chief Skinner said, looking down at her.

She turned her gaze to meet his and by the smirk on his face, she could tell that she was about to go through a merciless hell.


	3. Chapter 3

"Get in line! Get in line, now!"

July leaned over slightly Jake, who was next to her. Jake was in charge of making sure that no cadet was messing around in the line.

"What the hell is that Skinner guys deal, anyway?" July whispered.

"No one knows. I heard that his wife left him this past summer…" Jake stated.

"Wonder why," July stated, rolling her eyes. Jake smiled, at July's reference to Skinner's obvious temper issues.

It was then that Chief Skinner turned to face her.

"Randall!" he yelled. July stood up straight, as she turned her full attention to him.

"Yes, chief?" she asked, trying to sound sincere.

"What did I say about talking while in formation?" he asked, taking large strides towards her.

"Not to…" July stated, desperately trying to hold in her temper.

"And what was it you were doing?" he asked, his voice rough.

July bit her lip, resisting the urge to yet again lash out on him. She could feel the eyes of the other twenty two cadets on her, waiting to see what she would do next.

"I was talking," she paused for a second "Sir," she added, in a mocking tone.

Chief Skinner's blue eyes stared into her amber brown eyes in challenge. She saw a small smirk grow onto his face.

"Randall, take a run out to the lone pine and back…." He stated.

July turned to look back at him, a slight bit of shock on her face.

She knew that he took pride in this moment, because his smirk grew to a wicked smile.

"Go…now!" Chief Skinner yelled.

July turned away from him, before muttering curses under her breath. She took one last look at him over her shoulder, before sprinting towards the tree.

Once she arrived there, she saw Hodge unloading a cart.

He waved over at her. She looked around, before placing her hand along the trunk of the tree, before she could reply, Hodge smiled.

"Skinner made you run to the tree didn't he?" he questioned.

July inhaled slightly, before jerking her head in agreement.

"He's a real badass…." Hodge said, with a sigh.

He turned to look at her. "Are you going to come clubbing with us tonight?" Hodge questioned.

"Clubbing? Won't 'King of the Jungle' be alittle upset about that?" July joked, referring to Skinner.

Hodge smiled slightly. "Trust me…its safe. We always go to your dad's favorite place. Maggie's bar…." Hodge said, with a comforting smile.

July smiled slightly. Anything that he father took interest in around the base, she wanted to get involved in.

"Randall!!!"

July turned to see Chief Skinner standing next to the building, his arms folded. He was now wearing a black baseball cap and sunglasses.

"That's my cue, I gotta go…" July stated, with a wave.

"Meet us up here tonight, then we will all drive over…." Hodge called after her.

July ran back towards Chief Skinner, and stopped when she was directly infront of him.

"Hi," she said, with a phony smile.

Chief Skinner took off his sunglasses, and raised his eyebrows at her.

"Hi. What did I ask you to do?" Chief Skinner questioned.

July scoffed. She was getting really tired of the whole 'state the obvious' thing that he had going on with her.

She kept the fake smile plastered on her face. "You told me to run to the lone pine," she stated.

"Exactly. I don't recall telling you to run to the lone pine and have a decent conversation with someone like Hodge…the one who had to come here three times before passing," Skinner stated.

July narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "Well, I'm sorry that he couldn't live up to your standards. Not everyone passes on the first time like you…." July snapped.

She was expecting him to yell at her and order her to do a round of fifty pushups, but instead he smiled.

"Do you think you're something special, Randall?" he asked, stepping closer to her.

He was trying to intimidate her, but she was not going to let that happen. She'd been faced with far worse than a 24/7 PMSing instructor.

"What, you're father is a …. _Legend_…so you think you can do whatever you want, whenever you want?" Chief Skinner questioned.

July refused to retaliate, or else she would wind up punching him across the face. Then she would really disappoint her father's memory.

July looked down at the ground, knowing that was the satisfaction that Skinner wanted. But it was better for his sake, than July knocking him out.

"Dismissed," Skinner hissed. July stepped around him, not even bothering to look him in the face again.

………………………………………………….

Jake looked over at her, before leaning over.

"Are you having fun?!" he asked, shouting so he could be heard over the loud beating music.

July showed him a reassuring smile, before taking a sip of her drink. "So much fun…." She said, before setting it down on the table.

She looked around the place, taking in the loud music and the various dancers on the dance floor.

Her eyes looked over towards the doorway, and she froze.

She saw Chief Skinner, Chief Flight, and Petty Officer Watson walking in. She tapped Jake's shoulder, and he turned to look at her.

She pointed over at the door, and Jake chuckled slightly. "That is just…funny…" he said, his smile widening to a grin.

"See…you're a good instructor. You've just been appointed so its appropriate for you to come and hand out here…" July stated.

"Yea, well…Hodge seems to be pretty friendly with that red haired cadet…." Jake said, nodding towards Hodge and the girl on the dance floor.

"Fischer, I didn't know you were such good friends with Ms Randall here…" came the familiar voice of Chief Skinner.

July turned to see Chief Skinner standing at the table, his arms behind his back.

"We are buds," Jake said, putting his arm around her shoulders with a smile.

It'd been one week, and July had bonded with Jake and Hodge better than any of the cadets that were on the base.

"So I see…" Skinner said, his eyes boring into hers.

There was an awkward silence, before Skinner spoke up again.

"July, I must say I'm most impressed with the amount of guys you have flocking around you…everyone seems so enthralled by your presence. Just like your father. He was oh so popular around here…" Skinner said, bitingly.

July raised an eyebrow at him in challenge. Where was he going with that?

"I've done my dancing…" July replied.

"Oh…of course you have. You were such a good dancer that all those guys seem to have wanted to stay around you…." Skinner snapped.

Okay, where the heck was he going now? What was he trying to get out of her?

July sneered slightly, before looking at Jake.

"You know what Jake? I'm really back in the mood right now. Want to dance?" she asked.

Jake shrugged, before taking her hand and standing up. July turned to flash Chief Skinner a challenging glare. They weren't in class now, there were no rules. He wasn't going to tell her how to behave.

She stepped onto the floor, and Jake turned to face her. She smiled at him and began to move to the music.

She smirked for a second, before turning so her back was up against his chest. She began to grind with him, her body pressed flat against his. She held his hands against her stomach, and she could hear him let out a light chuckle.

She turned her gaze to look back over at the table, to see Chief Skinner skill looking over at her.

His steele blue eyes had some sort of look on them that was a cross between want, hate and jealousy.

She smirked over at him as she continued to grind against Jake. She looked to see about three other guys circling around her, trying to bump up against her.

Jake peered to look at her face, before following her gaze that was on Skinner.

"I knew it! You tease!" he joked, with a hearty laugh.

"Don't know what you're talking about…." July said, in a sing-song voice.

She had danced with the group of guys for about a good twenty minutes, before deciding to take a break and grab a drink.

As she made her way to the bar, she saw Chief Skinner with his back to her, talking to another man.

She smiled, before tapping his shoulder.

He turned around, and the moment he saw her his eyes flickered with the same look she had seen him wearing earlier.

She stepped closer, before standing on her toes so she could whisper in his ear.

"You're right….the boys are flocking…." She said, before pulling away and walking back out onto the dance floor with a confident strut.


End file.
